Universal Orlando Resort sales have soared for travel agencies thanks to its newest theme park, Universal Epic Universe, which will celebrate its first birthday in May.
And while Universal continues to tweak throughput -- the number of guests that can be accommodated on attractions -- advisors say clients aren't complaining about overcrowding or lengthy wait times.
Still, advisors would like to see the park expand with a new themed world (there are currently five) or additional attractions.
"I would be surprised if we don't hear more about Epic and their future plans," said Adam Duckworth, president and founder of Travelmation in Fort Lauderdale. "Because here's the thing: In the theme park space, everybody's always trying to one-up each other."
While Epic has been open for nearly nine months, it is not yet operating at full capacity. Universal continues to fine-tune how many guests can be accommodated on attractions, which enables greater attendance overall. While Universal hasn't said exactly how it is increasing throughput, that fine-tuning is expected to wrap by the end of 2026.
"The mechanics of how they're going to increase throughput on individual rides, that's really dependent upon the ride itself," said Peter Weishar, director of themed experience programs at the University of Central Florida's School of Performing Arts. "The most obvious is the express lane."
Express Pass, Universal's paid skip-the-line service, offers exclusive entrances to most attractions. In Epic Universe, only one attraction, Dragon Racer's Rally, currently doesn't have an express line. When the park opened, several attractions didn't have one, most notably the headliner Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.
Weishar said a number of throughput issues can also be traced to how attractions are loaded and unloaded.
Omnimover attractions, for instance, are particularly efficient because vehicles are on a continuous track. But attractions where riders are 100% restrained can take longer to load.
"You're talking about systems where there's a lot of innovation going on in Epic, ride systems that are literally brand new, completely innovative, never been done before," Weishar said. "There's going to be a trade-off when you're doing something that complex and that spectacular. It might take longer to load. I think that's, without question, a worthwhile trade-off."
The tweaking of throughput will ultimately increase the park's capacity and reduce lines. And while guests would undoubtedly welcome shorter lines, they aren't complaining about waits or overcrowding at the park right now, advisors reported.
With the exception of a few attractions with typically shorter wait times, like Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and Constellation Carousel, guests can expect to wait an average of about an hour for most Epic Universe attractions, said Greg Antonelle, who owns Let's Adventure Travel and MickeyTravels in Windermere, Fla., along with his wife, Elyssa.
The Atrium of the British Ministry of Magic in the queue of Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. Photo Credit: Jamie Biesiada
Guests often wait more than two hours for Battle at the Ministry, a motion-simulator attraction.
"Our agents are informing guests to expect long lines," Antonelle said. "It's not a bothersome request, as tourists expect that from headline-grabbing new experiences."
Duckworth said he personally hasn't felt Epic crowd levels to be overwhelming, and he hasn't received guest feedback about overcrowding. Still, new attractions or worlds would be welcome.
"If they don't build the Emerald City, they're fools," he said with a laugh. "I just don't know who would not authorize that with the success of the 'Wicked' franchise. It would provide more capacity for the park, as well."
More indoor attractions are high on Antonelle's wish list with Florida's hot summers and the unusual cold spell in late January and early February.
Epic revenue increases
At Let's Adventure Travel, 2026 sales are projected to be up 97% year over year, at least partially due to Epic, Antonelle said. At Travelmation, Universal Orlando sales were up 64% as of the end of January.
"With the size of our organization, pulling 10% or 15% growth is something to celebrate," Duckworth said.
Travelmation is No. 56 on Travel Weekly's Power List with 2024 sales of $230 million.
Travelmation's astronomical level of Universal growth indicates that "the momentum from Epic is carrying into its first year," Duckworth said.
"People are still going. They're still excited about it," he said. "Also, we are seeing what Universal hoped would happen. We're seeing people stay on their properties for longer visits."
Guests enter the main gate of Epic Universe. Photo Credit: Veritographer/Shutterstock
Executives at Universal's parent company, Comcast Corp., reiterated that goal of longer visits during the company's Q4 earnings call on Jan. 29. They also said Epic is driving higher spending and attendance at all of Universal Orlando's parks.
Universal in January loosened ticketing for the park, which was tightly controlled in 2025. Now, guests can purchase multiday and park-to-park tickets that allow unrestricted access to Epic.
"Guests have an easier time booking, and they're happily taking advantage of the opportunity," Antonelle said. "This park had five years of buzz and gained plenty of headlines during the pandemic when everyone was trapped at home. That era worked as an extended marketing campaign for Epic, and the 2026 presales numbers indicate that demand is off the charts."
Universal sales do not appear to be cannibalizing sales of other products. Duckworth said Travelmation's Walt Disney World Resort sales are up 20% year over year, a very good number for the agency. Cruising, resorts and SeaWorld sales have also been unaffected, he added.